Caltrain will close the Churchill Avenue rail grade crossing in Palo Alto for the next two weekends so that the rail agency can carry out important track maintenance work.
The first shutdown will begin at 11 p.m. on Friday, September 23 and last until 4 a.m. on Monday, September 26. The second closure will take place from 8 p.m. on Friday, September 30 until 4 a.m. on Monday, October 3.
During the closure, vehicular, pedestrian and bicycle traffic will not be allowed to cross the tracks, and Caltrain will be single-tracking through the construction site. Southbound passengers at the California Avenue and Palo Alto Caltrain stations should board on the northbound side over the next two weekends. Visual message signs and audio announcements will be made to help direct passengers at those stations.
Caltrain will post detour signs at the intersection for pedestrians, motorists and bicyclists to help with traffic flow. Neighbors may experience construction noise during the two weekend closures, and Caltrain apologizes for any inconvenience that may bring.
As part of the maintenance work, Caltrain will reconstruct the grade crossing with new concrete crossing panels, ballast, rails and wooden ties. Extended concrete panels will be added to the crossing, and new pavement and striping will be installed as well. These elements will provide a smoother, safer crossing for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists.
Local residents with questions about the project can call the Construction Outreach Hotline at 650-508-7726.
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About Caltrain: Owned and operated by the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board, Caltrain provides commuter rail service from San Francisco to San Jose, with limited commute service to Gilroy. Caltrain has enjoyed more than five years of consecutive monthly ridership increases, surpassing more than 60,000 average weekday riders earlier this year. While the Joint Powers Board assumed operating responsibilities for the service in 1992, the railroad celebrated 150 years of continuous passenger service in 2014. Planning for the next 150 years of Peninsula rail service, Caltrain is on pace to electrify the corridor, reduce diesel emissions by 97 percent by 2040 and add more service to more stations.
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